In large computing network environments, such as an enterprise-wide intranet or like, computing-related events, otherwise referred to as issues or problems that require remediation occur constantly on an ongoing basis. For example, services or applications may go “down” (i.e., become inoperable or otherwise inaccessible) or non-fatal errors may occur in a service or application, both of which may require remediation. In many instances, the entity overseeing the environment will have a standard operating procedure (SOP) for resolving the computing-related event. Such a standard operating procedure will typically entail a sequence of steps for remediating/resolving the computing-related event and the steps may involve both manual and automated (i.e., scripts) processes.
However, the remediation/resolution of a specific computing-related event does not remain static over time. Dynamics in the computing environment (e.g., changes in network configuration/hardware, network load and the like) may result in a previous remedy/resolution becoming invalid. In such instances, the standard operating procedure may be revised based on the need to revise the sequence of steps and or revise or change the scripts needed to remediate the computing-related event. Such formal documentation changes to a SOP are usually time consuming and, as the dynamics of the computing environment rapidly change, may be ineffective in terms of remediating the computing-related event even before such changes to the SOP are approved/implemented.
The problem related to dynamic changes in the computing environment is not addressed simply by fully automating the remediation process. Automation (implementing scripts or the like to perform tasks that would otherwise be manual) merely speeds up the remediation process. However, the automated scripts are static in nature (i.e., based on the sequence of steps that were known, at a previous point in time, to remediate/resolve the computing-related event). In this regard, as the dynamics in the computing environment change, the scripts also need to revised, accordingly.
Therefore, a need exists to provide for remediation/resolution of computing-related events that take into account dynamic changes in the computing environment and the current run-time environment in which the remediation/resolution will be implemented. Moreover, a need exists to assess the performance of a remediation/resolution process, such that, previous performance of a resolution may be taken into consideration when determining which remediation/resolution should be implemented for a current event. In addition, a need exists to insure that a remediation/resolution process being considered for deployment will be an effective remedy/resolution prior to actual deployment in the computing environment.